title: Look-back screening for the identification of transfusion-induced hepatitis C virus infection in Sweden.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following the discovery of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 1989, screening of all blood donors for antibodies became mandatory in Sweden as of 1 January 1992.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were collected from patients who had received a blood transfusion in the period prior to 1992 in western Sweden. The prevalence of HCV infection was assessed by antibody screening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 13,573 screening serologies, 124 patients (0.9%) had antibodies against HCV; 113 (0.8%) had detectable HCV RNA indicating an ongoing infection. Ninety-one (73%) were female, of whom 32 had been transfused in conjunction with childbirth. A review of the 32 liver biopsy reports available showed that 2 patients had cirrhosis and an additional 9 patients had periportal or septal fibrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A considerable portion of screened patients had an ongoing HCV infection and were eligible for antiviral treatment. Look-back screening for HCV among recipients of blood transfusions prior to 1992 is meaningful and should include women transfused in childbirth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Virology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. magdalena.ydreborg@gu.se
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ydreborg
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Söderström
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Håkanson
authors.forename: Asa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alsiö
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arnholm
authors.forename: Petter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malmström
authors.forename: Kristoffer
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hellstrand
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Westin
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lagging
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies